The invention set forth in this specification pertains to a new and improved testing apparatus. More specifically it pertains to a testing apparatus which is utilized to both move a specimen from one location to another and to dispense a quantity of a solution at such a second location.
At the present time testing apparatuses or devices are widely known which are used to remove a specimen from a sample and to transport such a specimen on a carrier away from the sample to a location adjacent to a receiving means and which are constructed so as to deposit such a specimen in or on such a receiving means. Structures of this type are commonly utilized in conducting a variety of different tests. Although such devices may be constructed in a variety of different manners, it is presently considered preferable to construct such devices as indicated in the Phillips U.S. Pat. No. 3,430,415, issued Mar. 4, 1969, entitled "TESTING DEVICE".
Although testing apparatuses as indicated in the preceding are considered to be quite desirable, in the past the utility of such testing devices has been limited to a degree because of the fact that such devices were not constructed so as to dispense a quantity of a liquid, such as a reagent, into a receptacle or test tube as indicated in the preceding more or less concurrently with the location of a specimen in such a container. Obviously there are various ways that this limitation of such prior testing devices could be overcome.
Thus, for example, it is possible to move receptacles or test tubes indicated in the preceding directly beneath an appropriate dispensing structure for dispensing a predetermined quantity of a solution into such a container. This is considered undesirable because it involves the use of a secondary piece of equipment other than a basic testing device as briefly indicated in the preceding discussion. The simple expedient of locating a reagent or the like into a container as noted by hand is considered undesirable because of the time involved and because of the possibility of human error.